If you know me, you will know that I am a person who needs people; I have often referred to myself as “short attention span” as constant human interaction and distraction are necessary to function.
Although I survived Day 1 of the WFH (working from home), I can tell you that it was not easy. Starting on Day 2, I have compiled a list of items that will (hopefully) get me through the next few weeks and may even help others too!
- Keep your routine. I usually wake up between 4:00 and 4:30 am and start the day. Clearly, I don’t exercise, but I do drink a lot of coffee, check emails that came in during the night, and watch the news on TV.
- Don’t change your work start time. I usually leave the house at 6am, so now that there is no commute time, I walk into my home office and start the day at 6:30 (and I just think about all the extra coffee I get! I can consume during the time I do not travel!).
- STAY CONNECTED! During the workday, stay in contact with co-workers and management. As this is shaping up to be the ‘new normal’, to be effective in your work you will need to collaborate with others … be it a phone call, an email or a chat session with team members.
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Focus. Being at home has its distractions, like the passing of a garbage truck, the barking of dogs or the flapping of a bird outside your window. Regardless of the distraction, it is important to focus on your work. What works for me is compiling a daily ‘must finish today’ list. While work-related distractions will inevitably ensue – impromptu meetings or screen sharing – you’ll at least have your daily short list of items to get you back to the tasks at hand.
- Lunch. I’m not a lunch person (or breakfast, for that matter), but being home and knowing that food is available makes me want eat the lunch! However, all is not bad. Stepping away from your desk for about 15 minutes is a great way to clear your mind and feed your tummy. What if you dump a load of laundry right then and there? Score!
- Set your end time. The beauty of working from home is not having to travel, and without the commute I always feel like I can work a little more and get more done. That’s a bonus, but don’t go crazy. By that, I mean if you’re listening to the 10pm news from another room, you might want to cut back a bit. Set an alarm on your phone for your “ideal” end time … for me, it’s set for 7pm.
That’s. I hope these tips help you, in addition to helping me, get through these somewhat challenging times. In the meantime, stay safe, wash your hands, and get to work!
